Dr. Frank Luther Mott was a distinguished educator and photojournalist whose career significantly influenced the progress of journalism education at the University of Iowa.
Academic and Professional Background
Born in Rose Hill, Iowa, in 1886, Mott began his journalism career working in his father’s family-owned print shop and later co-editing the Marengo (Iowa) Republican. He earned his Ph.B. from the University of Chicago in 1907, followed by an M.A. (1917) and Ph.D. (1928) from Columbia University.
Expansion of Iowa’s Journalism Studies
Mott joined the University of Iowa faculty in 1921 as a professor of English and was appointed director of the School of Journalism in 1927, a position he held until 1942. During this tenure, he significantly expanded the journalism curriculum, strengthened its academic rigor, and became one of the first educators in the country to offer a photojournalism course. He also co-edited The Midland literary magazine with John T. Frederick (1925–1930) and served as editor-in-chief of Journalism Quarterly (1930–1934), enhancing the scholarly stature of the program.
In a landmark moment for journalism education at Iowa, Mott awarded the first Master of Arts in journalism to Mildred Wirt Benson, who would go on to become the original ghostwriter of the Nancy Drew mystery series and a pioneering female journalist.
Contributions to Journalism Education
After his directorship at Iowa, Mott facilitated the establishment of the first photojournalism program as dean of the University of Missouri School of Journalism in 1943. During his appointment, he developed Missouri’s graduate program and raised academic standards for both students and faculty.
During his collective 30-year career as dean of journalism schools at both Iowa and Missouri, his teaching style was most notable as most graduate seminars he ledmet informally at his home, and he frequently drew on historical accounts to illustrate journalistic principles. Following World War II, he served as chief of the journalism section of the U.S. Army’s American University in Biarritz, France, helping to train military journalists. He also advised General Douglas MacArthur’s postwar staff, assisting Japanese officials in creating journalism education programs.
Later Career and Legacy
Mott served as Dean of the School of Journalism at the University of Missouri until 1951. Afterwards, he continued to contribute to the field as a professor emeritus until he died in 1964. Mott’s scholarly work earned him the 1939 Pulitzer Prize for History for his four-volume series, A History of American Magazines, and the 1958 Bancroft Prize.
Mott’s papers, which include correspondence, manuscripts, and other materials, are preserved in the University of Iowa Libraries’ Special Collections and Archives, providing valuable insights into his work and the evolution of journalism education.
Academic and Professional Background
Born in Rose Hill, Iowa, in 1886, Mott began his journalism career working in his father’s family-owned print shop and later co-editing the Marengo (Iowa) Republican. He went on to earn degrees from the University of Chicago (Ph.B., 1907) and Columbia University (M.A., 1917; Ph.D., 1928).
Mott joined the University of Iowa faculty in 1921 as a professor of English and was appointed director of the School of Journalism in 1927, a position he held until 1942. During his tenure, he significantly expanded the journalism curriculum, strengthened its academic rigor, and was among the first educators in the nation to offer a photojournalism course. He also edited The Midland literary magazine and served as editor-in-chief of Journalism Quarterly, contributing to the scholarly stature of the program.
Contributions to Journalism Education
After his directorship at Iowa, Mott facilitated the establishment of the first photojournalism program as dean of the University of Missouri School of Journalism in 1943. During his appointment, he developed Missouri’s graduate program and raised academic standards for both students and faculty.
During his collective 30-year career as dean of journalism schools at both Iowa and Missouri, his teaching style was most notable as most graduate seminars he ledmet informally at his home, and he frequently drew on historical accounts to illustrate journalistic principles. Following World War II, he served as chief of the journalism section of the U.S. Army’s American University in Biarritz, France, helping to train military journalists. He also advised General Douglas MacArthur’s postwar staff, assisting Japanese officials in creating journalism education programs.
Later Career and Legacy
He was the first elected president of the American Association of Schools and Departments of Journalism in 1929, and alongside George Gallup, co-founded Quill and Scroll, the international honor society for high school journalists.
A prolific writer, Mott published over a dozen books and more than 100 articles in both scholarly and popular outlets. Although he began his writing career with fiction and short stories, he gained national prominence for his landmark work, A History of American Magazines, which earned the Pulitzer Prize for History in 1939 and the Bancroft Prize in 1958.
His personal papers, manuscripts, and correspondence are housed in the University of Iowa Libraries’ Special Collections and Archives, preserving his legacy and providing insight into the foundations of modern journalism education.